Residents demand independent inquiry into Stonnington Council sport stadium

Outraged residents are demanding an independent inquiry into Stonnington Council’s decision to build a multipurpose sport stadium in Malvern East.

Residents are fighting a Stonnington Council plan to build a multipurpose sport stadium in Malvern East. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Outraged residents are demanding an independent inquiry into Stonnington Council’s decision to build a multipurpose sport stadium at Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park.

Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek and the Local Government Inspectorate have been asked to investigate why the council opted for the Malvern East site.

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Resident Dean Hurlston said the council had a lot to answer for.

He said the Victorian Tennis Academy, whose lease of its Union St courts in Armadale was controversially ended by the council last year, was initially told they’d be booted from their home four years ago to make way for the stadium.

But council staff backed off when the club protested the move, he said, which led them to make the rushed decision to build the stadium at Percy Treyvaud.

But Stonnington chief executive Warren Roberts said 51 sites were assessed against criteria including preservation of open space and the impact the development would have on existing sport users.

Percy Treyvaud was identified as the best option and endorsed by the council for a feasibility study in November 2016, he said, and since then residents had numerous opportunities to provide input.

Chief municipal inspector David Wolf said the Local Government Inspectorate was assessing a complaint, but his office noted an investigation was not currently underway.

Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek said councils should be “as transparent as possible” in their decision making, but matters regarding commercial confidence needed to be respected.

“I expect councils to comply with the procurement processes set out in the Local Government Act 1989,” he said.

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